Severus' Secret
by Laila Neville
Summary: My dear readers, I have to ask a favor from you, please read my new story, and review.. it would be greatly appreciated you can find the story if you look up my pen name Severus finds a family, and himself
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I do not own any characters you happen to recognise. If I did I wouldn't be posting on this site. This is my attempt at a fic. Please review and all reviews welcome. :)

Prologue: Severus' Secret  
  
Severus Snape looked away in disgust. Currently two masked Death Eaters were torturing a wizard and his wife. He felt cold fury rush through him. He hated these "missions" that the Dark Lord sent him on. Snape half figured that Voldemort sent him with the other Death Eaters when they tortured and murdered because he knew deep down that Severus hated it.  
  
Looking back at the horrific scene before him. Snarling to himself his fingers twitched as he longed to pull his wand out and dole out some pain to these fools, that recklessly followed Voldemort. Apparently the Death Eaters had grown tired of the torturing.   
  
Taking a step back the Death Eater stepped aside. Looking down at the terrified man in front of him.  
  
"_Avada Kedavra_." Severus closed his eyes, he couldn't bring himself to watch the rest. He swore to himself, he'd seen so many people die this way. He heard a scream and the incantation again. Feeling sick he moved away from the body in front of him. He walked to the door connecting the living room with the kitchen, trying to get away from it all from it all for a moment.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" A cold voice drawled from behind the mask. Snape swore to himself again.  
  
" I am getting myself a drink of water, then I plan on using the bathroom." _And throwing up everything I've eaten in the last two weeks._ He added to himself.   
  
" Alright. Avery and I will go back and report, you can take care of the loose ends."  
  
"And what loose ends am I supposedly taking care of?" Snape half snarled.  
  
" These disgusting mudbloods have a child, take care of it." Malfoy spat, his cold grey eyes gleaming with a sick light.  
  
" You can't take care of a mere child?" Snape asked, enjoying the way Malfoy flinched.  
  
" I am perfectly capable of dealing with a child. However you if you don't think you can, we can leave it to die of stavation." Malfoy said liking the way Snape flinched.  
  
"I'll take care of it." _Scurry back to your master you rat bastard_. Snape thought as he went into the hallway and up the stairs to look for the nursery. He found it easily. He stepped into the room and pulled out his wand. He crossed the room and looked into the cradle.   
  
An infant girl looked back at him. There was something in her eyes that disturbed him. It felt like the child was saying_ "It's okay I understand, you have to do this to survive, to help others to survive."_ Snape stood looking at the child.{1}He had a decision to make here. He knew that Malfoy and Avery were outside using a tricky charm to tell if he used the killing curse or not. Snape looked at the child again, what he saw moved him. The child did not cry, did not fuss, just kept those calm eyes on his. Making his decision he raised his wand.  
  
"Gods forgive me."  
  
Malfoy smiled as the spell inside triggered the charm he had set, red sparks flared up and he knew that Snape had done what he was ordered to do.  
  
Snape apparated to the Dark Lord. He automatically occlumended his mind. He was sweating and his robe was torn.  
  
"What took you so long Severus?" A cold cruel voice asked. Snape knew his life depended on his answer, as it so very often did.  
  
" Aurors, they attacked right after I disposed of the child, I barely got away. " Snape waited for Voldemort to think this over.  
  
" Did you manage to kill any of them?" His voice sounded eager, like a child waiting to hear the best part of the story.  
  
"Yes, I killed three and wounded two others." Snape added reinforcement of his occlumency.  
  
" Very well since you at least managed to do that, I won't punish you for taking so long." Snape prepared his body for the pain he knew would be coming very soon. He knew Voldemort to well. " However I will have to punish you for not killing more of them. _Crucio_." Snape felt unbearable amount of pain. It felt like it went on for hours. Soon Voldemort released him from the curse. Shaking Snape stood up, he didn't remember falling to his knees.  
  
"You can all go now, let that be a reminder to finish what you start." With that Voldemort strode out of the room. Severus stood up and disapparated.  
  
Walking into a small house Severus quickly made his way through his house and up the stairs, he came into a room where his house elf was waiting. Looking down at the elf, he noted house small and fragile the infant in the elf's arms looked.  
  
" Master Severus?" The elf inquired, clearly shocked to see his master looking at the baby like that.  
  
"It's alright Notus, I'll take her now..." He held out his arms to the elf, and Notus placed the baby in his arms.  
  
"Master Severus who is this?" The elf inquired timidly.  
  
"This, Notus, is the daughter of my soul, this is Aaliyah." _Gift from God, this tiny baby, my salvation is in her hands_{2}

* * *

{1} Listen to " This used to be my play ground" By Madonna while you read this part... it enhances my poor writing abilities greatly

{2} Listening to "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" by Mandy Moore makes this part feel the way it should... please read and review!


	2. A new family member

Chapter One: Difficult Times  
  
Severus woke with a start. Looking around his room he searched for the reason for his being awake. A cry came from Aaliyah's room. He swore and got out of his bed and walked to the nursery he had conjured earlier that day.  
  
Walking over to the crib, Severus had no idea what to do. Aaliyah noticed him standing next to her crib and stopped crying. When he didn't pick her up she started crying again, this time harder. Sighing Severus picked up the screaming infant. Instantly she stopped crying and snuggled into his neck, her little hands fisting on his shirt. He waited until she was asleep again and tried to put her down again, but she would have none of that. As soon as he removed his hands she woke and started crying again.  
  
" So it looks like it's going to be a long night little one." He sighed, the he had an idea. He carried Aaliyah to his bedroom, moving carefully he layed down on his bed, and arranged himself so Aaliyah was laying beside him. She sighed contentedly and fell into a deep sleep. Severus closed his eyes. For some reason he felt better with Aaliyah sleeping next to him. With a smile on his lips he fell asleep  
  
4 years later  
  
Severus was enjoying his rest, it was his first morning back from Hogwarts for summer holidays. Fully intent on sleeping til lunch he rolled over onto his stomache and snuggled into his pillow. Unbeknownst to him a little blonde head had just peeked around the corner of his door. Giggling softly she came into the room. She loved it when her daddy came home.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy!" She ran screaming at his bed. She was small for her age so she couldn't get onto the bed. "Daddy!" She knew if she kept yelling he'd eventually wake up.  
  
Severus smiled into his pillow. If there was anything he loved more than sleeping in on his first day home, it was Aaliyah waking him up calling him daddy. He reached an arm out from under the blanket and snatched her up onto the bed, rolling over as he did. He placed her on his stomache.  
  
"Morning angel." He said smiling sleepily.  
  
"Guess what daddy!" She said smiling broadly. Severus didn't like this smile. This smile scared him silly. This smile meant this daughter of his had discovered something that she was highly interested in, something he knew he'd hate.  
  
" What's that?" He asked eyeing her wearily. She just laughed at the way he was looking at her.  
  
" I have a new friend daddy!" She cried out smiling and bouncing a little with happiness. Severus grunted at the bouncing on his now rumbling stomach.  
  
" And what is this new friend's name?" He asked, wrongly assuming that she had met a playmate while he was at school.  
  
"Scruffles!" Scruffles what the hell? Who names their kid Scruffles? Severus thought.  
  
" Where did you meet Scriffles?" He was begining to get a head ache... he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like where this conversation was going.  
  
" I found him in the woods!" Severus raised an eyebrow at this. Sitting up he put Aaliyah in his lap and tickled her softly. Thank Gods no one from school sees me when I'm with her, I'd never regain my reputation for being a hard ass he thought. Aaliyah jumped down off the bed causing Severus' heart to jump into his throat.   
  
"Where you going honey?" He asked, preparing to follow her. She gave him a look that plainly told him that she was more than capable of getting where she wanted to go.  
  
"I'm going to get her. Wait there." Her? Scruffles is a her? Severus was now more than curious. When Aaliyah came back into his room his eyebrows shot into his hair line.  
  
"Can we keep her?" Aaliyah asked. At that moment Severus lept with joy, and he felt love like he'd never known before. Standing there in the doorway holding the scruffy tabby kitten, his daughter, his Aaliyah looked like an angel. Severus silently thanked every God he knew of for sending him this daughter. She had saved his soul from shriveling into a twisted dark entity.  
  
"Alright, don't use that look. We can keep her." He said laughing. He was rewarded with a flying hug, where Scruffles and Aaliyah ended up in his arms both hugging and giving him butterfly kisses.  
  
A/N: yeah I know this is short, and not well written, but I think that Severus is misunderstood and never given a chance. I think a nice fluffy fic is just what he needs to get his reputation back. I might add some trials and tribulations so the Snape family. I don't know. Thanks for reviews and such. Uhm if you're looking for good writing or a good plot... don't read this cuz these are fluffy emotional lovie dovie chappies... :") 


	3. A Stranger For Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own the greatness that is the world and characters of Harry Potter... damn  
  
Chapter 3: Christmas with a stranger  
  
Severus was sitting in the living room drinking a cup of tea. Aaliyah was sitting on the floor playing with scruffles. Severus had a small smile playing on his lips as he watched them. At first he was wary of letting Aaliyah have an animal at her age, but quickly found that the two were good for each other. Aaliyah was learning how to take care of her pet, which in turn was making her aware of how to take care of herself. Severus felt an odd pang in his heart. His little girl was growing up faster than he could have ever imagined. He looked back fondly on the days when he would sit and rock her in the nursery for hours, simply watching her sleep.  
  
"Severus!" Albus Dumbledore's voice cut through his reverie. Severus jumped and nearly spilled his half full cup of tea on himself.  
  
"Albus, is there something wrong?" Severus was immediately into his "Spy for the Order" mode. He was silently swearing. It was a few days before Christmas, and this one would be special because it would be the first one where Aaliyah would understand the concept of Christmas, and that would make the holiday all that much more enjoyable.  
  
"Nothing really wrong Severus. I have a favor to ask of you." The odd twinkle in the old man's eyes made Severus wary. His former Headmaster was up to something, and Severus knew it wasn't something he'd like.  
  
"And what would this favor be?" He asked cautiously. The mood was slightly broken as Aaliyah gave a great yelp. He turned so fast his body thought it was still facing the other way and he fell to his knees right next to his now crying daughter. "Aaliyah what's wrong?" His heart was racing.  
  
" I have a splinter daddy..." She was crying hard, so he took her hand and looked at it. He swore to himself, it was a very large splinter and it was already bleeding. He picked her up and brought her to the kitchen, setting her on the counter, he got the muggle first aid kit he had. He had gotten the kit after the first time he had taken Aaliyah to the muggle playground down the road. She had fallen down and badly cut her knee. Knowing he couldn't use magic, he had freaked out. Then one of the muggle mothers came over bringing a first aid kit with her. She had fixed Aaliyah up in half a heart beat. After that Severus had picked one up in a muggle store. He had picked up some other muggle things too, and boy was it a shock to himself when he actually had allowed the muggle power company to put electricity into his house. Now Aaliyah was like most children, she watched annoying children's shows and had disney movies. While he had been remembering all the times he had had to use this kit on Aaliyah, he had automatically went to work pulling the splinter and bandaging the finger so that it wouldn't get infected.  
  
Picking up Aaliyah, who was still crying a little, and carrying her to the living room. He sat down on the couch and kept her in his lap, rocking her slightly.  
  
"The favor Albus?" He asked, suddenly remembering that the other man was still there.  
  
"Well after witnessing that, I am now positive that you are the right one to do this."  
  
"Do what Albus?" He asked getting slightly annoyed at Dumbledore for not getting to the point.  
  
" I need you to take Harry Potter for the remander of the holiday." As soon as the words were out of his mouth Severus was on his feet, having placed Aaliyah on the couch next to a sleeping Scruffles.  
  
"No, NO! I absolutely will not take that glory seeking, trouble making brat into my home, so that he can ruin Christmas for my daughter." Severus' pale face had flushed with anger, and the color made him look almost normal.  
  
"Severus Gideon{1} Snape! Harry Potter is none of those things. If you would give him a chance, you would see it. You of all people should appreciate the difference between public personna and private." Albus said looking pointedly at Aaliyah who was petting her kitty.  
  
"Albus, think about it. I'm sure Potter would rather stay at Hogwarts during the holiday." Severus sounded desperate, he had a feeling that he would end up having Potter in his house.  
  
"I'm sure he would too... but Hogwarts is not safe Severus. There is someone who is helping Death Eaters get in, as you very well know. All students and teachers are returning to their homes for the holidays."  
  
"Why can't Potter go to the Weasley's?, Or even his family?" Severus asked knowing the answer before Albus could answer.  
  
"He can not go to his relatives, because they have refused to take him. It saddens me that our greatest protection for Harry is now null and void. He can't go with Molly and Arthur because that would be the first place Voldemort would look for him."  
  
"Why can't he go with you or Minerva?"   
  
"Because Voldemort would never think that his great enemy is with his faithful Death Eater. Please Severus, you know that Harry is our only chance." Severus sighed  
  
"Alright, alright... he can come." He couldn't believe that every time Dumbledore always won.  
  
"Severus... please listen to me. Harry has never been shown love or kindness from his own family. He has never known a father, or a mother. Molly and Arthur have done a good job, but they have many of their own children. What Harry needs is to be shown what it's like to have a family that cares for him. He is losing faith in himself. He doesn't think he can be loved for being anything other than the Boy-Who-Lived. He needs to have his faith restored. Severus... he's not going to make it... this feeling in him... this hopelessness is going to destroy him... Severus... I have never asked something of you that I didn't think you couldn't do... and I would never asked this of you unless I was certain that you could restore his faith in love, because it is love that will save us. If you won't do this for Harry, or for me... or even for yourself, do it for you daughter. So that she may grow up not knowing fear of Voldemort, that she may even grow up at all." At this one moment Severus looked at Albus. There were tears in his eyes. Severus looked at his daughter. She was smiling and talking to Scruffles. Severus had a flash of the future in his mind. Her first day at Hogwarts, her graduating from Hogwarts, the day she married the man she loved, the day his first grandchild was born. Tears streaked down his face. He knew that he would do everything in his power to make sure that his daughter never knew what it felt like to know that she could die at anymoment. How it felt to be marked by the Dark Lord.  
  
"Daddy? What's wrong?" Aaliyah asked looking older than her years. Thinking quickly Severus came up with an answer.  
  
"Daddy is just really happy honey. We're going to be having a guest for Christmas, someone really special." Albus smiled at them both then turned to go.  
  
"Harry will be here tomorrow. Thank you Severus... I think... that this great thing you are doing... might be the thing that will redeem you for all that has been done... will be the thing to save that small part of your soul that is black and cold... the part that you never wanted your daughter to know... You are a good man." With that Albus was gone.  
  
Late that night Severus sat thinking as he watched his daughter. She had grown up loved, knowing that she'd always have her daddy, and that she was loved. Potter had never known that, and Albus wanted him to show Harry that... Did he have it in him to love his former enemies son? Could he show Harry that? What the hell... When did I start thinking of him as Harry and not as Potter? With that thought he was asleep.  
  
{1} I love that name 


	4. A Family for TheBoyWhoLived

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize... if i did i wouldn't be working the pathetic job that I do.  
  
Chapter Three: A Family for the Boy-Who-Lived  
  
Severus woke up to Aaliyah pulling on his arm. This was his normal way of waking up, or had become so as soon as she could walk.  
  
"Morning Aaliyah. Baby want breakfast?" He asked smiling.  
  
"Daddy... that man from yesterday is here... and he's got somebody with him." Severus groaned. Does Albus always have to spring things on him in the early morning.  
  
Severus sat up and got out of bed. He was deciding whether or not to get dressed and decided against it. If he was to do what Albus wanted he would have to let Harry see the other side of him.  
  
He walked into the living room, and was greeted by a smiling Albus, when he looked around for the boy, he found him on his knees in front of the couch petting Scruffles and answering all ten thousand questions Aaliyah was asking him.  
  
"Er... welcome to my home Po...Harry." He tried smiling at him but it turned out as some kind of grimance.  
  
"Uh... thanks for letting me stay here Professer. Severus was pleased to see that the boy was as uncomfortable as he.  
  
"Well I'll leave you to it. Have a good Holiday... oh and as Harry and the rest of the students and staff are aware of the Christmas Holiday has been extended by two weeks, to accomadate certain renovations to the castle's defences. Severus silently snarled... he was sure he could have handled Harry for the original amount of time. Albus left and Harry was left to look around... and he looked slightly fearful.  
  
"Aaliyah... go get Tidus for daddy." As his daughter left, he turned to Harry.  
  
"I know this is uncomfortable for you... it is for me as well. I am proud that I am able to maintain my reputation as a hard ass... and well... just between you and I... that's not entirely true... especially here."  
  
"Uh... okay... I didn't know you had a daughter. Uh... Professor ... where should I put my stuff?" Harry was looking around the living room again. His gaze stopped on the t.v. and the vast number of Disney movies, he grinned at that. Severus followed his gaze and sighed... yup he'd have a real hard time keeping his reputation now.  
  
"Yes... Aaliyah doesn't know this but I adopted her when she was a few months old. The ministry doesn't know because the Dark Lord would most likely kill me or hurt her. Only you and Albus know. Tidus will take your things to your room. Maybe we should discuss the rules Harry." Harry looked stunned at his Professor using his first name. He also inwardly groaned.  
  
"Okay the rules." Harry inwardly sighed, this was going to be rough.  
  
" The rules, 1. don't tell Aaliyah she's adopted. 2. Music is to be kept low after 10pm and off after midnight. 3. Try not to bring stray animals home... we'll have to adopt them or I'll suffer my daughter's rath. 4. Aaliyah should not be made aware of my reputation at school... or elsewhere. 5. Thursdays are family nights, be in attendance 6. Make Tidus aware of any allergies or special needs and 7. try to hide your dislike for Disney movies." Severus finished and he looked at Harry... he broke out laughing, and to Severus' great surprise he did too.  
  
Aaliyah walked back in and looked from Harry to her dad. She smiled, she loved it when her daddy laughed like that.  
  
Severus turned around when he heard Aaliyah enter the room. He was finely attuned to her sounds.   
  
"Hello honey I want you to meet Harry, Harry this is my daughter Aaliyah. No doubt she's already talked your ear off." Aaliyah giggled. "Hary have you had breakfast?" Harry shook his head in the negative. " Well neither have we... so shall we ?" Severus was a little off balance. He didn't know what to do or how to handle this situation. They all moved into the kitchen. Severus had a brief moment to reflect on the scene in front of him. Harry was sitting at the table next to Aaliyah, and was helping her pour cereal. Tidus was cooking bacon, Aaliyah was giggling and trying to get Scruffles to eat cereal out of a bowl. His whole world, that was set up just the way he liked it was coming to a halt. Then he thought:Maybe this is the way it should be. 


	5. A Trip to Remember

Disclaimer: I own anything recognizable. Except the plot.  
  
Chapter Four: A Christmas to Remember:  
  
Harry had been at Severus' house for two days. During those two days he had come to enjoy Aaliyah's company. She didn't talk to him about Voldemort or the war. She didn't bug him about his holiday work, or learning new defence spells. Most of all she didn't have any expectations of him except for him to watch Disney movies with her, play games with her, or sometimes play dress up with her and play dolls with her. Harry was shocked to find out that Severus was nothing like the Potions Master of Hogwarts. And when the hell did I start thinking of him as Severus and not Snape. Harry thought. It was true that Severus had asked him to use his first name.  
  
"Harry? Wanna play?" Aaliyah asked. She had come into the room, and Scruffles had followed her. Harry liked Aaliyah. She was a cute kid, and she wasn't a spoilt brat. Harry also liked Scruffles. That cat had atitude, and made the perfect companion for the child of a Hogwarts teacher. The cat was always there, and on more than one occasion Harry had seen the cat stop Aaliyah from doing something dangerous. It was his pet theory that the cat was somewhat kin or similar to Crookshanks.  
  
"You two can play later, right now we have to go to Diagon Alley." Aaliyah squealed but Harry looked nervous.  
  
"Uh Severus... I don't think that's a good idea. I mean you know you and Aaliyah... and then there's me. I mean I'm pretty noticable." Harry looked sad that he couldn't go to Diagon Alley. He could imagine Aaliyah there, and he knew it would be fun.  
  
"I have already thought about that and I..." Severus was interupted by a very sooty woman. When she stood up Harry smiled.  
  
"Wotcher Tonks!" Harry cried out. He liked Tonks, she was good comic relief.  
  
"Harry, how did you know it was me?" Tonks asked as she finished brushing the soot off of her cloak.  
  
"You're the only person I'd know who'd show up here with neon green curly hair down to their waist." Harry said laughing. Aaliyah had met Tonks once or twice and was enchanted with her.  
  
"Tonks Tonks Tonks!" She was yelling doing a weird little victory dance.  
  
"Let me explain." Severus said as Tonks was picking Aaliyah and twirling her. "If I need to take Aaliyuh somewhere in the wizarding world, Tonks comes by and pretends to be Aaliyah's M-O-T-H-E-R and I place a charm on myself so I don't look like I usually do. Tonks makes herself look like an older version of Aaliyah. Today since you will be with us, we'll need to place a similar charm on you so that you look like a younger version of my charmed self." Harry wondered why Severus spelled mother instead of saying it.  
  
"Daddy looks funny when we play this game." Aaliyah said smiling.   
  
"Indeed. Aaliyah remember the rules of the game, and this time Harry will be playing so you can't call him Harry." Severus said pulling out his wand.  
  
"What should I call him?" Aaliyah asked in her innocent way.  
  
"Uhm how about..." Harry was going to make up a name for himself when Severus interupted him.  
  
"Call him James." Severus said not looking at Harry. Tonks smiled.  
  
" Alright. I like it when we play "different family" Aaliyah said.  
  
"Aaliyah run upstairs and get your cloak and shoes." Severus said smiling. When she left he turned to Harry. " Alright.. here's the deal, when we do these excursions we have different names. Luckily a long time ago a merchant asked me if I had a son as well as such an enchanting daughter... and I had said yes, my son attended Hogwarts. Our names our Anri and Paul Evans and you and Aaliyah are James and Sari Evans. We have a vault at Gringotts and accounts at many stores. If you need something just sign a bank draft for that account." Severus said. Harry didn't know how he felt about being James Evans. His father's first name and his mother's maiden name. He looked at Severus and smiled kind of shyly. Harry never thought that he'd see the side of Severus that was all bedtimes stories and Disney movies. Aaliyah came back down the stairs and was giggling as her cape wiggled.  
  
"Aaliyah let Scruffles go, you know she can't come with us." Severus said, kind of wearily. Harry figured this was an ongoing arguement. He laughed at Aaliyah.  
  
"Alright, this is it." With that Tonks screwed up her eyes, and became a slightly older woman with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Her clothes became a simple but richly cut dress and an expensive traveling cloak. Severus pointed his wand at himself and he was transformed. Harry was shocked. Standing in front of him was a handsome man, that looked similar to James Potter. He now had Light blue eyes and light brown hair. His nose was now normal sized and not hooked. His hair was no longer greasy and long, but softly shining and cut into a mussed short style. Then Harry had Severus' wand pointing at himself. A moment later he felt a weird tickling sensation. When it was over he walked over to the mirror. He looked a little like he used to, except his hair was no longer messy and it was light brown with red highlights. His eyes were the same color as Tonks' and he was taller.  
  
"Alright Family Evans, here we go." Severus picked up Aaliyah and Tonks took Harry's hand. A moment later they were gone.  
  
Harry would have fallen over if his mother hadn't had a hold of his hand. He looked around Diagon Alley, it looked different somehow to him. He looked up at Tonks and smiled, seeing that she had winked to him.  
  
"Alright, I have some things to get from Gringotts and the potions supply shop. You three go ahead and do Christmas shopping, then we'll meet up at Florish & Blotts to figure out how mum and I will do our Christmas shopping for you. Inside his head Harry thought I wonder if he's just saying that to go along with the ruse, or if he'll actually buy me something. I should prolly get them all gifts, if not for Christmas, then to at least say thank you. He was ripped from his inner thoughts as Aaliyah pulled on his hand, and Tonks pushed at his back.  
  
"Come on James, we gotta go." She called out. Harry thought she looked happier then he had ever seen her, which was odd because she was always happy. Then Harry realized something. It was times that they went to Diagon Alley that Aaliyah had a mother.  
  
"Alright I'm coming." Harry said smiling. They went to several shops. Harry bought Ron's gift at the quidditch shop, he got Ginny's gift in the pet shop, he picked out a stunted looking kitten. He had already gotten the twins' their gifts. He had almost got caught taking the two Hogwart's toilet seats, and every time he saw Dumbledore near a bathroom, the old man smiled at him in an odd way, like he knew. For Molly and Arther, he had sent them each about 3000 galleons each. He purposely didn't add his name to the gifts, because he knew they would refuse the money. He was going to get Hermione's gift at Flourish & Blotts when they met up with Severus, and he got Dumbledore's gift at Madame Malkins, where he also got Dobby's. He got Dumbledore a set of bright orange robes with little green christmas trees on them. They made him laugh, and he knew Albus would love them. He got Dobby a pair of socks, that he charmed so that his true face was on them. He knew that Dobby would be over joyed, and would prolly let him in the kitchens anytime he wanted. He was looking around the Alley after coming out of the robes shop, trying to figure out what to get Tonks, Severus and Aaliyah. He grinned when he saw a new shop. The Gift Shop. Harry saw muggle items in the windows, and he knew that he could find something in there. He left Tonks and Aaliyah at the robes shop and went to the little store. As he walked in he heard music playing. It was muggle Christmas carols. Looking around a huge grin caught his face. He went to the counter with the purchases he wanted to make.  
  
He joined up with Severus, Tonks, and Aaliyah at Flourish & Blotts. He picked up a book for Hermione, and a few childrens books for Aaliyah. He payed for his purchases and then walked over to his "family".  
  
" Alright, James we need you to watch your sister while we get some shopping done. Stay in Diagon Alley." Harry nodded to the affirmative. He had felt a warm little squirming feeling in his stomache when Severus was speaking to him, like he was his son. Harry snapped out of it and grabbed Aaliyah's hand.  
  
"Alright, where do you want to go?" He asked warily.  
  
"Zonko's! Daddy never lets me go there." And for good reason. Harry thought, being dragged off towards the shop.  
  
Severus layed in his bed that night and thought. When he had been out in Diagon Alley today, it had felt right. Having Harry and Aaliyah and Tonks all there with him like they were his family. Well Aaliyah was his family, and Harry... he still didn't know how he was supposed to show Harry how to love. He also hoped the gifts he had gotten him for christmas would be appropriate. Severus could do gifts for little girls, you just mostly had to pick out something that was pink and fluffy. But a 16 year old boy... that was different. And Tonks... he had invited Tonks over for Christmas... he felt himself going red in the face when he thought about her. Bloody hell! He Severus Snape blushing like a school boy over a girl. No not a gril a woman. An attractive woman, one who got along good with his children.... WHAT THE HELL, he only had one child... but Harry... Harry was becoming a son to him. He had fit in well with Severus and Aaliyah... and Tonks would work well there too. But he couldn't marry her til the Dark Lord was gone, marriages had to be registered.... Severus fell asleep with a genuine smile on his face. 


	6. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
A/N: Sorry about the spelling and such in the previous chapters. My computer is funky and doesn't like me doing such things as spell check and all.  
  
Chapter Five: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day  
  
Harry was in his room and wrapping Christmas presents. He smiled to himself. In the few short days he had lived with Severus and Aaliyah he had come to feel like he belonged here. Sorta like they were his family. 'That's weird' he thought. 'Thinking that being with Snape is like being with family, what would Sirius say?' Harry's happiness fled with that thought. He felt like he was going to cry. Just then his door flew open and there stood Aaliyah. Harry quickly cast an invisablity charm on the presents, hoping she hadn't seen what he had gotten for her.   
  
"Harry Harry! Daddy just came home with a tree!" The little girl's face was flushed with happiness, and that in turned made Harry smile. How could he be sad with this little girl around.   
  
"Oh yeah? What kind of tree?" He asked. Laughing at the slightly puzzled look on her face.  
  
"Uhm a big one... and it's green." She said regaining her happy look.  
  
"Well let's just go have a look at this tree." Harry said, as he picked her up and carried her down the stairs. Severus was errecting the tree in the living room, and it looked like he was having a tough time with it. When he heard footsteps on the stairs, he turned and looked. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Harry carrying Aaliyah like he usually did.   
  
"Daddy! What kind of tree is it?" Aaliyah asked, clearly determined to answer Harry's question.  
  
"This sweetheart is a blue spruce, it's a Christmas tree."  
  
"OOOh" Aaliyah looked impressed. "What's a Christmas tree?" She asked. Harry broke out laughing and carried her to the couch and set down.  
  
" On Christmas eve Santa Clause travels all around the world, bringing presents to all the good little boys and girls." Harry said, falling back on the muggle myth.  
  
" Who's Santa Clause?" Aaliyah asked.  
  
" Santa Clause is an old man with a long long beard. He lives in a very cold place and his elves make the toys that he brings to the little boys and girls." Severus said, joining them on the couch.  
  
"What about the daddy's?" Aaliyah asked.  
  
" Well Santa Clause knows how much Mommies and Daddies like watching their little ones open presents. He knows that the best presents that mommies and daddies can get is to be with each other and their children." Harry said. It was only when he noticed Aaliyah's look of concentration, and Severus' pale pained face that he had realized what he had said wrong.  
  
"Daddy? What's a mommy?" Harry's heart hurt so much to hear that, and he knew Severus was hurting too.  
  
" A mommy is a lady who cares for little children and works with the daddy to keep them safe." Severus said, wincing, because he knew what was next. But what Aaliyah said was the complete opposite and shocked the hell out of him.  
  
" Oh you mean Tonks! Okay now what else does Santa Clause do... and does Tidus work for him when he isn't with us?" She asked looking back and forth between Severus and Harry.  
  
"Uh.. no Tidus works only for us. Santa Clause brings happiness to those people who are sad." Aaliyah looked thoughtful.  
  
"Well who wants to help me decorate the tree?" Severus asked.   
  
"Well that depends." Said Harry.  
  
"And what does that depend on." Severus asked.  
  
"Whether or not you can get the tree to stay up." Harry said, laughing and looking at the tree, that was now slumping over the couch some.  
  
Harry had just finished wrapping Tonks' present when there was a knock on his bedroom door.   
  
"Come in." He said knowing it was Severus.  
  
"Harry, I would like to talk to you." Harry blanched and Severus smiled. "I'm not mad at you for the whole mommy thing. It's an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago. I am a coward I guess... I wonder how Tonks is going to take it when Aaliyah calls her mommy." Severus said, smiling slightly more... and to Harry's surprise blushing.  
  
"Oh my Gods you fancy her1" Harry burst out... then he knew he was going to die. But instead of pulling out his wand and hexing Harry into the arms of his mother, Severus blushed more.  
  
"Tonks is a very attractive woman, she's nice, and she cares for my daughter, there is nothing wrong with me being attracted to her." He said. " Well... I'm glad we had this talk." Harry lost it then. He was rolling on the floor laughing. Severus stood still for a moment, then he joined him. Finally he got up and left.   
  
Later that night, after reflecting on the evenings events he looked in on the kids. After he closed Aaliyah's door, he opened Harry's and looked in on the boy. He felt a weird squirming in his stomache, then he realized what it was. He was starting to care for this boy.  
  
"Good night... son." Severus said and softly closed the door.  
  
Severus didn't know it, but Harry wasn't asleep when he looked in on him. Several emotions were swirling around in him. Happiness because he'd found a family, anticipation of spending time with that family, and fear. Fear that he wouldn't be able to save that family. Fear that when it came time to kill Voldemort he wouldn't, and fear that Aaliyah, his new little sister, could be marked or even die. Eventually his mind pushed away all negative thoughts, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.  
  
Severus awoke from a dream. In that dream he and Tonks were married, and they along with Aaliyah were attending Harry's graduation. They were all having a wonderful time, and Severus looked down at his arm. His Dark Mark was gone.  
  
Severus awoke to pounding on his door. He smiled. From the sound of it, Harry had taught Aaliyah a muggle christmas carol, and they were both out in the hall singing it. And pounding on the door.  
  
"ALRIGHT I'M UP, I'm up" He rolled over and looked out the window... it wasn't even light outside."He rolled out of bed and stood up. He crossed his room and opened the door to see not only Harry and Aaliyah out in the hall singing but Tonks, Albus, and Remus Lupin.  
  
"Happy Christmas Severus!" The adults called out in unison.  
  
" Happy Christmas daddy" Aaliyah cried out. Harry looked at Albus before stepping up and whispering.  
  
"Happy Christmas... dad." Severus smiled at him and ruffled his hair. He picked up Aaliyah and the whole group moved into the living room. There was a huge pile of presents under the tree. They were all about to start opening presents, when a great banging came upon the front door.   
  
"Who the hell is that?" Severus asked, as he went and opened the door. When he saw who was standing there, he broke out into a big grin. He walked back into the living room, followed by ... a very large Santa Clause. Harry laughed out loud, when he saw Hagrid, his beard and hair charmed white, wearing great red robes. He looked over at Aaliyah to see her reaction. She looked awed.  
  
"SANTA CLAUSE!" She screamed and ran over to Hagrid, hugging him around his knees. "Thank you Santa Clause!" She cried then ran back over to Severus. "Look daddy, it's true Santa Clause came... and you and Mommy are here, he came to see Harry and I open our presents, in front of you and mommy!" Tonks looked around the room, looking for another woman. When she realized that Aaliyah was talking about her, she blushed and was about to tell Aaliyah that she wasn't her mommy when Albus, Harry, Severus, and Remus all shook there heads. The rest of them smiled. They then just started to open presents. Harry's pile was the largest he ever had. Aaliyah screamed with joy when she opened the combination cat collar/leash that Harry had gotten her. Tonks laughed when she opened the joke book Harry had bought for her. Severus looked confused when he opened his gift.   
  
"Harry what is this?" He asked turning the box all around.  
  
"This is an alarm clock. It keeps time and sounds an alarm at the time you set." Severus stopped looking confused and starting smiling.  
  
"And why would I need one of those when I have my daughter." He asked.  
  
"Because I have a feeling Aaliyah will start sleeping in more." Harry said mysteriously and winked. Albus opened his robes, and immediately went to the bathroom to change into them. When he came back out, everyone had a good laugh.  
  
"Thank you Harry." He said and sat back down. Harry had given Hagrid his gift before he had left. Harry then started opening his own gifts. Tonks had given him a book on metamorphmagism. Remus a book on becoming an animagus. Hagrid had given him a book on raising dragons. Albus had given Harry a gift certificate to Honeydukes. Aaliyah looked shy when she handed Harry her gift. It was a little handmade book of drawings, made with magic crayons. The crayons made any picture they drew move like a wizard photograph. Most of the pictures were of her and Scruffles, a few of him playing quidditch, but the last one was different. It was a drawing of Aaliyah, himself, Severus and Tonks. Under it was the caption: "My Family". Harry smiled a little and put it aside. Then he got to Severus' gift. He opened it, inside was a note that said: "Welcome to the family." Harry looked at the gift, it took him a moment to realize what it was. It was a parchment document. It was an I.O.U., it said. "When the second war has come and gone. I will formerly adopt you should you so choose. Love, Severus (Dad). Severus had been watching Harry like a hawk. When Harry had put aside his present, his heart fell. But when Harry looked at him and smiled, Severus' heart gave a great leap of joy. It was the best Christmas he ever had.  
  
It was late that night when Severus and Tonks were sharing a drink.  
  
"Severus, why did Aaliyah call me mommy?" Tonks asked. She was more than a little drunk and feeling very brave.  
  
"Hmmm prolly because Harry told her that a mommy is a lady who cares for little children and works with the daddy to keep them safe." Severus snickered a little and poured more brandy into his and Tonks' glasses. Feeling brave he slipped his hand into Tonks'. She looked slightly surprised, but then leaned over and kissed Severus softly. He ran his hand through her hair, and deepened the kiss. He leaned forward and she went back.  
  
Harry found them asleep on the couch. Tonks was using Severus as a body pillow. Harry smiled at them and went to entertain Aaliyah so she wouldn't wake them. It looks like their little family was going to be getting a mommy soon.  
  
A/N: Yeah this one is longer but hey I updated three times in one day. And as you all know I write a chapter and post it the same time. Yay! 


	7. Love and All It Binds

Disclaimer: I own almost nothing, except Tidus, Aaliyah other random chars. that will come in and the plot.  
  
Chapter Seven: Love and All It Binds  
  
Severus woke in a good mood. He had been having the best dream. He dreamed that Tonks and he had been having a drink together, and it had opened the way to a kiss. When he went to move Aaliyah off him so that he could sit up, he was shocked to find that it wasn't his daughter, but Tonks who was on him. He smiled into her hair. {1} He was rubbing small circles on her back with his hand when she woke up. She looked at him for a moment before she smiled. She kissed him on the lips softly before sitting up. He smiled and sat up as well.   
  
"Morning Severus." She said and yawned. He smiled even more.  
  
"Morning Tonks. How did you sleep?" He inquired brushing her hair away from her face.  
  
"Good, you make a good mattress." The both laughed.  
  
"Well we better get up and feed those children of mine." Severus' smile faltered when he saw the confusion on her face. "What's wrong?"   
  
"Children? I'm confused."  
  
" Oh... I'm uhm going to adopt Harry when the war is over. Living with him like we have been for the past few days... I've seen the other side of him. He's not the glory seeking arrogant prat I thought he was, and apparently I'm not the evil git he thought I was." Severus explained.  
  
" I'm glad for you both. You know..." Tonks was cut off when Aaliyah came running into the room and jumped into her lap.  
  
" Mommy! Daddy! Guess what... Harry's going to teach me how to fly on his broomstick." Tonks was torn, she didn't mind that Aaliyah called her mommy, or even thought she was her mommy, but how would Severus take it? She felt like she was encroaching on their little world.  
  
"Uhm... I told her I would ... but I promise, I'll wait until she's older, and that there are like mats under her and every thing. I could even put a sticking charm on her so that she stays on the broom." Harry said timidly coming in behind her. Tonks looked at Severus, whom apparently Harry thought was going to hex him into oblivion any second.  
  
" With the proper supervision, I don't see how it would be a problem, but Harry please wait until the summer holidays." Severus said, smiling at Harry.  
  
"Okay I can wait that.. WAIT! I get to come here for the holiday?!" Severus' heart leaped with joy. Harry wanted to be a part of his family.  
  
"Well you can't go back to those ignorant jackasses you were living with. I can't believe they treat you as they do. No one should be treated that way." Severus said looking reflective. Harry knew that Severus was thinking back to his own childhood.  
  
"You're right no one deserves it. You didn't." Was all Harry said. Then he looked at Tonks. She could tell from the look on his face that he knew that something had happened between them last night. She could also tell, he knew that what had happened hadn't been overly sexual.  
  
"Morning Tonks." Harry said with a sly grin.  
  
" Uh I think we should have an uhm.. a family meeting." Severus said half blushing.  
  
"Yay!" Aaliyah cried out. Then she promptly ran into the kitchen. She returned holding Scruffles, and pulling Tidus by the hand. "Kay daddy we're all here now." Severus smiled at his beautiful daughter. Only a genuinely good hearted soul would count their family pet, and their house elf as family. Severus reflected on it. He noticed Tidus was looking worried.  
  
"Sir, Tidus is sorry Sir." Tidus said edging towards the door.  
  
"Don't be silly Tidus, you have practically raised Aaliyah, you have always been loyal to my family, and have served us well. Please concider yourself part of this family." Severus said. Tidus looked immensely relieved by this. He even sat in an armchair near the fire.  
  
"Alright first order of business... Harry... I know this has happened so quickly but I've found that I was very wrong in my assumptions around you. I know I have treated you badly, half for selfish reasons, and half for appearences. But I want you to know, that when it has really mattered, I have always been on yourside." Harry knew Severus was refering to the day he was almost jinxed off his broom. " Next... Tonks... this is sudden, but... do you want to join our little family? I mean it won't be official til after the war.. but I'm talking about marriage, and adopting Aaliyah and Harry... like I will?" Severus looked like he was almost pleading. Tonks was shocked. She never expected that when she married, it would be someone older than her, and that he'd come with a ready made family. ' But what a perfect family to come ready made. A son who is already grown out of his doldrums, a beautiful daughter, so full of life, and of laughter. And a husband, a man to spend the rest of her life with.'   
  
"Alright, I have some rules. 1. 'Mommy' likes her sleep. 2. I'm not really a domestic type." Tidus interupted her.  
  
"But Mistress... that is what I's is for." He squeaked, then looked mortified that he had interupted one of his masters. Severus noted his look and said.  
  
"It's alright Tidus, and yes, that is what Tidus is for." Severus said smiling  
  
"Alright, 3. I do have a job that I love, it'll be a big part of this life." Tonks smiled. She pulled Aaliyah into her lap, Scruffles came along for the ride.  
  
"Uhm.. er Tonks? Can I can you mom?" Harry asked shyly. She smiled at him.  
  
"Yup, can I call you ickle Harrykins?" Harry looked horrified at the thought.  
  
"Uh not when my friends are around." Severus stood up and went into his bedroom. He came out carrying what looked like a muggle camera. He set it up then gathered them all onto the couch, even Tidus. He pointed his wand at the camera, and then counted to three.  
  
"One two three... Smile." And with that the whole Snape family had come together.  
  
Later that night Severus had developed the picture. Looking at it he smiled. Something inside of him shifted. He felt tears stream down his face. For the first time in his life that he could remember,he was a whole man, a whole person. He found a frame for the picture, and placed it on the mantle in the living room. In the picture Aaliyah was petting a sleeping Scruffles. Tidus was getting everyone tea. Severus had his arm around Tonks, and they were both smiling. And Harry... for the first time in the whole of 6 years since he had known Harry, Severus saw him trully happy. At that moment Severus' heart swelled with pride. His son, his Harry was going to defeat the Dark Lord. He knew it. He could feel it in his bones. He smiled at the picture and then went upstairs to his room. He had to make some alterations so that Tonks could get her stuff in too. After a few hours, Severus fell asleep, a peaceful look upon his face. That night he dreamed of his family.  
  
{1} Try listening to I wanna love you forever by Jess. Simpson to this part. I know I'm corny, but I can't help that I was born a hopeless romantic, doomed to love lovesongs.  
  
A/N: Oh my gosh, thanks so much to everyone who has been reading my story. When I started it I didn't think I'd go far with it, because I didn't think I was too great of an Author. I'm still not that much of an Author, but at least now I know that what I'm writing is making a ripple. I'll continue writing for all you special people who read my story. Also if you can't read any of the chappies, just email me and I'll email you those chappies. I love you all Chi 


	8. The Return to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize from the wonderful Harry Potter series.   
  
A/N: It has come to my attention that the name I chose for my house elf is also used in another story, ( the char. is not a house elf.) I was reading that story before I was writting my own, and must have subconsciously borrowed it. Tidus the man-child isn't a major char. in this other story. However I believe the credit for the name should go to the other Author. Her pen name is Nerdgirl, and her story is The Secret Guardian Angel, and it's sequel The War For the Orphans. I suggest you read it if you like the Harry/Severus slahed pairing. It's good stuff.   
  
Also thank you to my reviewers. Also if someone would like to proof read my chapters for me, they'd get to see the chappies before hand. I'd need someone who can work at a fast pace, and I mean fast. I like to write and post a chapter a day, and I've been known to get really excited and do three in a day. Please email me if you can do this. And now on with the story. (It'll be short as it is a tranny chappie)  
  
Chapter Eight: The Return To Hogwarts (Or A Family to Share Pain.)  
  
Severus was looking for his extra set of school robes. He was snarling in frustration because he really needed to finish packing. He heard Aaliyah giggling downstairs. He knew that giggle. Severus sighed, that giggle meant Aaliyah was prolly doing something he wouldn't like. He set off for the downstairs expecting something bad.  
  
When he reached the bottom of the stair he giggled too. Then he looked mortified that he had giggled. Then he blushed when Harry laughed at him.  
  
Aaliyah was wearing his spare set of school robes. Somehow Harry had charmed them to look white, and transfigured something into a halo and a set of large angel wings. Tonks was levitating her a few feet from the ground. He smiled at the sight.  
  
"I'm glad you find this amusing, but I really do need to pack. Harry you do too. We'll be returning to Hogwarts early tomorrow morning." Severus intoned, trying to look like he was in charge. He failed miserably.  
  
"Aww daddy!" Aaliyah cried out. " I'm an angel, like Harry's other mommy and daddy!" Severus stood completely still, his eyes on Harry's face, he was tempted to throw a shield around Aaliyah. Then he saw Harry smile.  
  
"That's right lee-lee... They're in heaven{1} with my uncle Sirius." Harry kinda looked sad, but at the same time determined.  
  
"Who's uncle Sirius, how come I haven't met him daddy? Did he look like an angel?" Aaliyah asked unaware of the tension Severus was feeling. He didn't know how he could possibly explain to his four year old how he felt about Sirius Black. Over the past year, he had watched Harry struggle to over come his grief about his godfather's death.  
  
"Aaliyah honey come with me to the kitchen." Severus said. He picked her up, angel wings and all and carried her to the kitchen. " You've never met Sirius because I didn't really get along with him. I'm going to say something very important honey, and I need you to promise you'll pay attention and follow this advice."  
  
"Okay daddy." Aaliyah sat down on one of the chairs, and when she looked at him, he was shocked. Her eyes were devoid of laughter, they looked as old as Dumbledore. He was reminded of the night so long ago when he had walked into her room, with orders to kill her. She had the same look in her eyes.  
  
"Aaliyah, I want you to promise that no matter how much someone doesn't like you, or is mean to you, that you won't hold a grudge, you won't let whatever they do to you become a part of you, won't make you bitter. Sirius died last year, trying to protect Harry from a very bad man. For most of my life I had hated him, and begrudged him, and now he's gone and I can't ever say I'm sorry. Don't ever do that, always make sure you make things right." He realized he was crying and he cursed his foolish emotions. Severus heard a noise by the kitchen door. He looked up and saw Harry standing there. There were tears on his face. With out saying a word, he walked over to Severus, buried his head on his shoulder and hugged him.  
  
Severus awkwardly wrapped his arms around the sobbing boy. They stayed that way until Aaliyah climbed into Severus' lap and also wrapped her arms around Harry. Tonks finished off the hug, by wrapping one arm around Harry and one around Severus. They stayed that way until Harry stopped crying. He went to bed shortly there after. Not too long after that, everyone else followed suit.  
  
Harry woke the next morning to find that he had company. Aaliyah and Scruffles were in the bed next to him, and Severus and Tonks were alseep in chairs beside his bed. 'So this is what a family is like, always having someone watching over you. I guess my parents and Sirius were watching over him, from where ever they were.'  
  
"Good-bye Mum, I do love you still. Good-bye Dad, I'm safe now. Good-bye Sirius... Thank you... " Harry whispered to the early morning. A few hours later he and Severus flooed back to Hogwarts. Albus took one look at both of them and smiled. For the first time ever he saw that Harry now possesed the one power that would bring down the Dark Lord.   
  
{1} I made Harry believe in a heaven, or after like type situation dealie thinger. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone. 


	9. Easter Holidays part one

Disclaimer: I own almost nothing.  
  
Chapter 8: Easter Holidays  
  
Aaliyah woke to the smell of breakfast in the kitchen. She squealed. Mommy was never up   
  
this early for breakfast, which could only mean daddy and Harry were home. She grabbed Scruffles  
  
and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
"Daddy! Harry! You're HOME!" The little girl fairly screamed. She launched herself into   
  
Severus' waiting arms. Severus smiled and kissed her forehead. She dislodged herself from  
  
his arms, and flew at Harry.  
  
"Hello lee-lee, hows my favorite little sister?" Harry asked, smiling as he was hugged, and  
  
licked by an equally happy Scruffles.  
  
"I'm your only little sister!" Aaliyah called out, then moved to her own chair. As she set  
  
to work demolishing the plate of food that Tidus had set in front of her, Tonks walked in. She  
  
went to Severus first, giving him a kiss and a hello, then she walked over to Harry, and he got   
  
a hug and a ruffled haired hello.  
  
"I've haven't been up this early since Albus wanted me to spy on Malfoy senior." She said,  
  
yawning. She similarly went to work on her food. There were a few moments of silence while the  
  
family ate. There was a clatter at the kitchen window, Severus turned and saw that it was Harry's  
  
owl.  
  
"Harry post is here for you." Severus said. Harry got up and let Hedwig in. He pulled the   
  
letter off her leg and had begun to read. Tonks was the first one to notice that something was   
  
wrong. She looked at Harry and saw that he was very pale, and his eyes... she saw the deepest   
  
despair in his eyes.  
  
"Harry what's wrong?" when she didn't get an answer she moved over to him, and took  
  
the letter out of his unresisting hand. She gasped and brought a hand to her mouth, she didn't  
  
even try to hide the tears the were falling. She turned to Severus. He could read misery in her  
  
eyes.  
  
"Harry? Tonks? Tonks TONKS! What's wrong." Severus rushed over to them, he pulled the   
  
letter from her hand, as he did this she wrapped her arms around Harry, and Harry sobbed into  
  
her arms. Severus felt empty as he read the letter.  
  
'Harry,  
  
I have always been one to blunt the truth, or to sugar coat, but at this time I cannot do that  
  
Yesterday Voldemort's forces attacked three seperate locations. Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and   
  
a muggle school. I with great sadness inform you that during the attack on Hogsmeade Several   
  
students who were staying at Hogwarts were visiting Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, there were  
  
casualties. I am so sorry to tell you that Ginerva Weasley was one of those casualties. She   
  
died defending a group of first years from Death Eaters. She was brave, and she fought well.   
  
If it had not been for her, the casualties would have been staggering. Because of her bravery,  
  
and her courage she will be awarded Order of Merlin First Class. Also, a statue dedicated to   
  
her memory will be placed in the castle. I know how deeply affected you are by this news, but   
  
please Harry do not do anything rash. Do not blame yourself. And stay with Severus.  
  
Sincerely,   
  
Albus Dumbledore'  
  
Severus looked at Harry, he decided right then and there, the no matter what Dumbledore said  
  
if Harry asked him to take him to the Dark Lord, there would be no hesitation. 'Right now is the  
  
right time for Harry to fight Voldemort. When he is capable of doing it.'  
  
"Severus" Harry's voice, so cold and hard. "Take me to him." That was all Harry had to   
  
say. Severus walked into his room and brought out the sword that had been in his family for many  
  
generations. He handed to Harry. Then he grabbed a hold of Harry's arm.   
  
"We're going to apparate. Don't let go. Not until we're there." Severus said, giving Harry   
  
a little warning before he apparated to the Dark Lord.  
  
Voldemort was in a great mood. He had managed to put the fear of his name back in. Plus he   
  
had gotten to partake in a little muggle torture. He was sitting in his dining room, and drinking  
  
a nice Merlot. He heard a popping noise in his living room. He rose, intending to see who had come   
  
to him, when Snape's voice rang out through the house.  
  
"It is only I, my Lord. I will join you there." Severus had gone cold. He didn't even need   
  
to guard his mind against Voldemort. He and Harry moved into the dining room. Severus silently   
  
thanked every God he knew that Voldemort's back was to them when they walked in, other wise they  
  
would never have a chance.  
  
"Ah Severus, I bet you're angry that you didn't get a chance to partake in tonight's   
  
festivities. I understand compl..." Voldemort had been turning around while he was talking, and  
  
he stopped short when he saw the look on Severus' face, then he saw who was with him. He went  
  
for his wand. He never got a chance. With a scream of inarticulate rage, Harry flung himself at  
  
Voldemort. Years of quidditch had strenghthened his muscles, and fine tuned his reflexes.  
  
He was at Voldemort before the evil bastard had a clue that he had moved. Harry brought back the sword   
  
and swung on the Snake faced bastard. Voldemort just stood there for a moment, before he relized  
  
that Harry had cut off his wand arm. He screamed out in pain and fear, and drew his own sword.  
  
Harry swung and slashed, and dodged. He was purely going on Anger. When his anger ran out, Voldemort  
  
sneered. "You'll never defeat me you insolent brat. You don't have it in you. I'm going to kill   
  
you, and then I'm going to kill that traitor Snape, and then when you're gone, I'm going to kill  
  
everyone who is dear to you. I heard that I have a head start on that. One of my loyal followers  
  
happened to kill that little mudblood lover. Shame they didn't get those other redheaded blood   
  
traitors." Voldemort sneered. At the moment the world seemed to stop. Harry felt the sword slip  
  
from his hands, and he dropped to his knees. He was over come with sadness. It was a that moment  
  
that Severus called out to Harry. He watched Harry give up and he knew that he was about to lose  
  
his son.  
  
"Harry don't give up! You can't please, Harry... if you give up think what he'll do to   
  
Aaliyah, you're her last hope. I can't protect her, Tonks can't protect her. Only you Harry.   
  
You are her older brother, that is what you're supposed to do, protect your little sister!"  
  
Severus called out. Voldemort found this very amusing. He knew this was tearing up Harry's heart.  
  
"Like I protected Ginny? I should have been there, I should have been defending those kids  
  
It's my job, I should have done it." Harry hung his head.  
  
"Harry it is not your job to protect everyone in this world, it's not your job to stop   
  
everything bad from happening. If you truly loved Ginny then get your ass off the god damned floor  
  
and show her that you love her." Severus fairly screamed. Harry felt his heart in his chest.  
  
He also heard a voice, Ginny's voice.  
  
"Harry, just this one thing. Do this one thing... and it'll be all over. " Her voice said  
  
"I can't Ginny, I can't do this anymore... everyone I love dies, and it's my fault."  
  
"Harry James Potter! Don't you ever think that, it's his fault. Harry you have to do this.  
  
Do it for me." Ginny's voice faded. Harry looked up at the man he had to fight all his life.   
  
Voldemort was smiling. Ginny's sweet voice still in his heart, he, in one swift move, took  
  
up the sword into his hand. In the next moment, the whole world stood still. Harry had plunged   
  
the sword into Voldemort's heart.   
  
"Do you think this will kill me, you stupid boy." Voldemort laughed. Then Harry heard Ginny's   
  
voice whispering instructions into his ears. The sword started to glow with white light. Harry  
  
concentrated on forcing his most loving memories, most prominent were his thoughts of Aaliyah,   
  
and Tonks, and Severus. The sword's light grew so bright that Harry was blinded. Then he heard   
  
screaming. That's when everything went black  
  
A/N:sorry guys for the Cliff Hanger, but I'm off to a turney in a bit and since my ex boyfriend  
  
and the guy who stood me up for prom are going to be there, I wanna look nice. Plus I'll do another  
  
two chappies when I get home. I luv ya'lls Chi 


	10. Easter Holidays Part Two

Disclaimer: I own a headache and a need for coffee, that's about it.  
  
Chapter 9: Easter Holidays (Part 2)  
  
Harry was swimming in the blackness. He had no clue where he was, if he was dead or alive.  
  
Harry heard voices talking in hushed tones. He tried to focus on the voices. It felt, to him,  
  
that it was imperitive for him to know what they were saying. After a few more moments of pure  
  
focusing he heard a woman's voice.  
  
"They don't know if he'll make it. No one knows why he hasn't come round. He has no  
  
obvious wounds. Severus said he was screaming, said it'll give him nightmares for the rest of  
  
his life those screams."  
  
"Well Tonks you can always help him out with those nightmares1" Said a younger male's  
  
voice.  
  
"George Weasley... You... You... GO TO YOUR ROOM." Molly Weasley said, but the grunt of pain  
  
that Harry heard, he knew that the twin had been grabbed by the ear.  
  
"Geroff me mum, 1. We're at Severus' house 2. We're legally adults now, so you can't send  
  
us to our rooms. 3. We wanna be here when Harry wakes up." Harry contemplated a moment that  
  
George had just called Severus Severus. Then he felt happy, he was home.  
  
"Molly, let the boy alone. He quite right. After Harry recovers you're all invited to a   
  
wedding, and adoption, and a celebration of life." Severus' tired voice said, amused and sad at   
  
the same time. Harry knew that his current condition was making Severus sad, and he didn't want  
  
to cause Severus any more pain than he had already suffered. So he fought to open his eyes. It   
  
took him a while to do but he opened them. He was greeted by all the people he loved the most.  
  
'Not all, Sirius isn't here, Ginny's not here.' Harry's heart broke with that thought. He couldn't  
  
help it. He broke down and cried. Instantly he was being hugged by several people. The closest   
  
person to him was obviously Severus, because Harry was lifted and placed in a lap, and held tight.  
  
Harry could hear many people crying and laughing.  
  
"Harry, we thought we lost you! When Severus walked through that door... you... you..."   
  
Tonks was saying to him. She was sharing Severus' lap with him. Molly Weasley had used a   
  
frontal assault, so not only was Harry being hugged, but Tonks and Severus as well.  
  
"Harry James Potter! What in Gods name were you thinking! We could have lost you, we were  
  
so worried. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny will be in from Hogwarts this afternoon. They're so   
  
worried." Molly said patting his head. Harry sat straight up, and Tonks and Severus looked   
  
thoroughly shocked.  
  
"Wait! Ginny's Alive? SHE'S ALIVE!?!"Harry felt weird, happy that Ginny was alive, but   
  
very upset, because he had almost died, because he thought she was dead. 'But then again   
  
that's not really something that's new' He thought chasing away the negative feelings. Hoping   
  
that Ginny was really alive, and that Molly hadn't just slipped and said Ginny.  
  
"Why wouldn't she be alive?" Molly asked. "She's perfectly fine." Molly gave him a weird  
  
look and felt his forehead.  
  
"We, Harry thought... We received a letter from Dumbledore... said Ginny had died, killed  
  
defending first years from Death Eaters." Tonks said.  
  
"I did not write any such letter. I don't know that could possibly have occured." Dumbledore  
  
said looking very thoughtful.  
  
"The letter said that Ginny was dead, and when I was fighting Voldemort, I heard her voice  
  
telling me what to do, how to kill him." Harry said, obviously confused and upset.  
  
"I assure you that Ginerva Weasley is in perfect health, and will be here in a few hours.  
  
Now Harry you need some rest. We'll wake you when you're friends arrive." Dumbledore said in a  
  
voice that assured no one would defy him. He handed Harry a dreamless sleep potion. Which Harry  
  
took gratefully. He felt light, as he drifted off. The last things he was aware of, was Tonks   
  
kissing his forehead, and Severus lightly touching his face.  
  
A/N: Yup ya'll it's a mystery. So who do you think sent that letter? In your reviews send me   
  
your ideas, the person who comes up with the best person and why they sent it, gets to read the  
  
next two chappies before everyone else. Love ya'lls Chi 


	11. Easter Holidays Part Three

Disclaimer: Don't sue, I don't claim to own anything  
  
Chapter 10: Easter Holidays (part3)  
  
Harry awoke again because his stomach had threaten to lead a revolution on him. He sat up  
  
in bed, and grabbed his glasses off the bedside table. He looked around the room, and realized  
  
he was in his bedroom at Severus' house. He grabbed a set of robes and put them on. He didn't   
  
think anyone would be too happy to see him eat breakfast in his nuddy pants.{1} Stretching as he  
  
went, Harry left his room without looking into the mirror. If he had, then he would have   
  
noticed a few peculiar changes in his appearence.  
  
All of the Weasleys, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, the whole of the Order members,   
  
Hermione Granger, All the teachers from school, his own family, and Hagrid greeted him when  
  
he walked into the kitchen. Everyone started clapping and cheering, and hugging Harry. Some  
  
of the women were sobbing with joy. Aaliyah came running up to Harry. He caught her in his  
  
arms and swung her around. Then he put her on his hip, and walked over to the table. Clearly  
  
intent on some breakfast. When he got to the table, he saw not breakfast food, but things   
  
people would usually eat for supper. This didn't deter Harry, he sat down and grabbed a plate.  
  
Aaliyah was helping him by grabbing rolls and fruit and putting them on his plate. Harry was  
  
devouring his breakfast when he noticed everyone had stopped talking. It made him feel all hot  
  
and itchy. He looked up, and straight into Aaliyah's eyes.  
  
"Harry, what'd ya do to your hair? It's nice I like it. Don't change it." She giggled.   
  
Harry wasn't aware that he had changed his hair in any way. He got up and went into the foyer,   
  
where there was a mirror. The inhabitants of the kitchen heard a kind of strangled cry. Then   
  
they heard Harry yelling, and a weird thumping noise. Everyone rushed into the foyer. They   
  
were all smiling. Harry was doing a little victory dance in the foyer. Aaliyah, recognizing this  
  
as the dance she usually did, joined him. Soon everybody had joined in on the weird little   
  
victory dance. Soon he spotted Ginny, and he grabbed her and hugged her close. She blushed, and  
  
Fred and George had to restrain Ron, who was clearly not happy at the way Harry was handling his  
  
baby sister.  
  
"Ginny... Ginny... Ginny..." Was all he could say. She seemed to understand and patted  
  
his back.  
  
"Uh Harry, please loosen up a bit, I can barely breathe." Ginny managed to get out. Harry  
  
realized he had a death grip on her, and released her. Harry smiled and looked into the mirror  
  
again. For the first time in his entire life, he looked into a mirror, and didn't see the scar  
  
that had connected him with Voldemort. He grinned when he saw that a streak of his hair had   
  
turned pure white. 'Bet Malfoy'll be jealous of that color' He thought to himself, then  
  
his stomache gave him a reminder that he hadn't finished fulfilling his duty to his tummy.  
  
He went back into the kitchen, and sat down. Severus came in behind him, and shut the door.  
  
"Harry, I should appologize to you. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, taking   
  
you to the Dark Lord. You could have been killed, you almost were. It was irresponcible of me,  
  
a good father doesn't put his children in danger like that." Severus said as he hung his head.  
  
" Dad... You are a good father. You took in two orphans, you made me feel like I was a   
  
normal kid, with a normal family. That is the only thing I've truly wanted. Voldemort was  
  
standing between me and having everything I need to be a normal kid. It was my job to kill him  
  
I didn't ask for it. You are a good father, because when I really needed you to, you stood by   
  
me, and supported me, when noone else prolly would. I don't think anyone else in the world, would  
  
have betrayed Voldemort in such a way, as to bring the one destined to kill him to him. You  
  
gave me what I needed to do what had to be done. " Harry said, eye Severus. Severus was puzzled  
  
for a moment about why Harry would be eyeing him like that. Then he smiled.  
  
"Go ahead finish eating, I'll make sure everyone leaves you alone." Severus said, then  
  
left the kitchen. Harry went back to work on his breakfast. Smiling like a fool and devouring  
  
enough food to feed 5 adlut men.  
  
{1} Nuddy Pants, is taken from another book series. The title of the book is Dancing in my   
  
Nuddy Pants. It means naked. I love that series of books, but never as much as Harry Potter.  
  
A/N: Thanks to ya'll reviewers. I know when I started this story, I said it would be cute and  
  
fluffy, but somehow the story began to grow, and evolve. I can barely control it any more.  
  
I promise things will go back to cute and fluffy soon, we just have to get over this little  
  
hump in the road  
  
LOVE YA'LLS Chi 


	12. Easter Holidays Part Four

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the world and Characters of Harry Potter. I own Tidus  
  
(sort of) Aaliyah,Scruffles,and the plot.  
  
BETA READ BY THE SPLENDIFEROUS Sammi  
  
Chapter Eleven Easter Holidays (Part 4)  
  
It had been three days since Harry had defeated the Dark Lord. As the news spread through  
  
the wizarding world, that Voldemort was gone for good, people from all over the world sent him  
  
letters of thanks and appreciation. He had been sent several offers from people who wished to  
  
adopt him. Also several people had wrote to tell him that they had included him in their wills.  
  
Harry didn't mind the being included in people's wills. He did mind the offers for adoption. He  
  
knew that when he was a baby several families had requested the right to adopt him from Dumbledore,  
  
but when he really needed support, in his fifth year, many of these same people had doubted him,  
  
ridiculed him, and thought he'd gone nutters. Harry took perverse pleasure in writing every  
  
single one of the adoption requests, and informing them that he was being adopted by one  
  
Severus Snape. He smiled, and wished he could see their faces when they read 'that'.  
  
Aaliyah had come to see him every hour, most times bringing Scruffles with her. She kept  
  
a steady running list of the activities going on downstairs, and who was there. Only being 4 she  
  
didn't really know names, so she used adjectives.  
  
"Harry, fluffy hair and lots of freckles are wondering when you'll come down stairs. And  
  
freckles' mother is fussin, she says you're not eating enough. Mommy got all funny and said that  
  
you ate enough. Then freckles' mother asked what mommy knew about it, and mommy told her that  
  
you were her son, and to bugger off. Daddy and grampa Albus had to leave the room for awhile, 'cos  
  
they were laughing so hard." Harry had to smile. He wondered what his friends would think of  
  
the names that his little sister had for them.  
  
"Well Lee-Lee let's go downstairs, so everyone can stop worrying." He picked her up and  
  
Scruffles followed them out of his room. They went downstairs. They were greeted by many people.  
  
Apparently there was a party going on. He wandered over to Tonks, who wrapped her arm around him.  
  
"What's going on mum?" He asked, noticing how pleased Tonks was that he called her mum.  
  
"We're having an engagement party for your father and I. Also and A-D-O-P-T-I-O-N party  
  
for you and Aaliyah. The paperwork on you two will go through tomorrow, and we plan on having  
  
the wedding two days before you go back to school." She said ruffling his hair.  
  
"Mum, today is two days before we're supposed to go back to school." Harry said, worried  
  
that he was missing something vital in the conversation.  
  
"Damn and Blast, I forgot to have Aaliyah tell you, to celebrate the down fall of He-  
  
Who-Is-A-Dead-Evil-Git Dumbledore announced that there would be an extra week of Holiday. I  
  
think he kinda figured that you would need more time to rest before going back to school."  
  
She said grabbing a drink off a passing tray.  
  
"He he he... he who is a dead evil git... that's great." Harry was in a spectacular mood.  
  
Voldemort was dead, Harry would officially become a part of a family tomorrow, and he was  
  
surrounded by the people he loved the most in the world. Harry wondered over to his friends.  
  
"Well I've heard of this charm that can tell you the current location of a person who  
  
wrote a letter. They used to use it when people were all the time moving around, and needed  
  
to send post to each other." Hermione was saying to Severus. Ron was drinking something that  
  
looked suspiciously like firewhiskey, and Hermione had a glass of wine. Harry had a moment to  
  
think about how weird it was to see Hermione and Ron like this. Since he had spent so many years  
  
with them, he really hadn't noticed the changes in them. The ongoing fight with Voldemort, his  
  
minions, and keeping Harry alive had matured them prematurely. They looked older than 16 year  
  
olds. Harry smiled to himself. Hermione had become a beautiful young woman, and Ron was pretty  
  
good looking himself. He noticed the way Ron's hand was around her waist, and he knew that they  
  
had finally gotten over themselves and gotten together. He snapped out of his reverie when  
  
Severus put a hand on his shoulder and steered him over to Ron and Hermione. Hermione as usual  
  
gave him a hug, and too his great astonishment, Ron did too.  
  
"Thanks mate... I have dreamed of this day for many years, but I never actually thought  
  
it would come." Ron said, smiling kinda sadly.  
  
"Hermione what is this spell you were telling me about?" Severus asked, clearly intent  
  
on finding out who had sent that letter to Harry. What Harry didn't know was that when Severus  
  
found out whomever it was, he was going to rip them apart with his bare hands.  
  
"Locus Scriptor, and the encantation is: Locus scriptor , qua umquam exsisto" She said, saying the  
  
pronunciations in Latin precisely. Severus looked intensely interested in this.  
  
Harry made his way around the party, accepting congratulations and such. Out of the corner  
  
of his eye he saw Severus and Albus head up the stairs. Harry crept up behind them. They were in  
  
Severus and Tonks' bedroom. Harry crept into the room. He heard Albus utter the same  
  
incantation that Hermione said earlier. He saw a flash of white light, and heard Severus swear.  
  
"Goddamn it that Son of a bitch, I should have known. Malfoy." Harry's blood boiled.  
  
" Now, Severus, we don't know it was him. It just means whomever wrote it is at Malfoy  
  
Manor.  
  
"Then I say we go now, take all the aurors and get the bastard. They almost caused me to  
  
lose my son." Severus snarled.  
  
"Very well, I will gather the aurors. I know it would be futile to ask you to stay behind."  
  
Harry burst into the room. He wanted to go, he felt the overwhelming need to go.  
  
"I want to go." Harry said, to the shocked faces of Severus and Albus.  
  
"No!" They said at the same time. Harry saw the looks on their faces and knew it would  
  
be a bad idea to object.  
  
"I need you to stay here and take care of your sister. Your mother and I are both going.  
  
And I would only feel right knowing that your sister is protected." Severus said. Harry nodded.  
  
As a group they walked down stairs and gathered everyone up. Albus told everyone what they had  
  
discovered and then the aurors prepared themselves for battle. Tonks kissed Aaliyah, and hugged  
  
Harry. They walked outside past the wards. Then they apparated.  
  
It was a very long three hours. The festive party mood had dissipated. Instead everyone  
  
was talking in soft somber tones. Harry had a very tight hold on Aaliyah. She seemed to  
  
understand that Harry needed to have a hold on her, and that it would be useless to try and  
  
get away. So she insisted that Harry read to her. He picked out a book at random and started  
  
reading it to her. The book was a muggle one about a family of ducks. It struck Harry as he  
  
read it, that it kinda reminded him of his biological mother. In the story, the mother duck  
  
fought New York City traffic and the dangers of the big city to protect her babies and bring  
  
them safely to their home. {1}  
  
Aaliyah had drifted asleep and Harry was talking to his friends when his father burst in  
  
the front door. His mother quickly followed. Severus was carrying what looked like a bundle  
  
of bloody rags. He swept into the kitchen and placed the bundle onto the table. Harry put  
  
Aaliyah down on the couch and ran into the kitchen. What he saw on the table made him violently  
  
ill. He ran into the downstairs W.C. {2} and threw up everything he had eaten in the past two  
  
days. Then he went back into the kitchen. Lying on his table was a very badly beaten Draco  
  
Malfoy.  
  
Harry had taken Aaliyah up to her room, and had tucked her in. He kissed her forehead, and  
  
was glad that she hadn't seen what was going on in the kitchen. He returned and saw that Draco  
  
had been cleaned and stripped to his boxers. There were wounds all over his body, and his face  
  
looked like hamburger meat.  
  
"What..happened to him?" Harry asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.  
  
"That bastard... Malfoy... He... He..." Severus couldn't get the words out. Tonks took  
  
Harry by the hand and led him into the study.  
  
"Malfoy Sr. had been abusing Draco for years, and I mean he has been beaten so bad, that  
  
he's had to be in St. Mungo's every time he went home for Holiday. When we got there, Malfoy  
  
Sr. was taking a knife and randomly stabbing him. We won't know why until Draco wakes up, if  
  
indeed he does. Albus said he's never seen something this horrible before, and he's seen a lot.  
  
He questioned Malfoy under Versatium, and found out that it was indeed he that sent that letter.  
  
But he made a mistake and sent it a day early. He was supposed to send it the next day, so that  
  
Voldemort would have been ready for you. Neither of them knew that Snape was a spy. One hell of  
  
a shocker when he showed up with you. " Tonks said. Her voice tired.  
  
"Tonks, Harry... he's awake." Albus said from the door. They got up and followed him into  
  
the kitchen. Draco was sitting up. He looked pitiful, and like a lost child.  
  
"... So father came back today, and he went crazy. He said that it was my fault that  
  
Voldemort was gone, and that I had to pay." Draco was saying. He looked up and saw Harry. He  
  
had a mixture of emotions on his face, mostly sadness. He also looked sheepish. "Uh could I  
  
speak to Harry alone for a minute?" He asked. Harry nodded at Tonks, and everyone left.  
  
"I... I'm sorry. Look I had no choice but to be nasty to you and your friends. My father  
  
demanded that I make friends with you. When he found out I failed, he almost killed me. After  
  
my first year, he had me put under the imperious curse. Pansy Parkinson controlled my actions  
  
while I was at school. I am ashamed of the way I've been forced to act." Draco hung his head,  
  
Harry knew he should hate Draco, shouldn't accept this explanation, but after everything he had  
  
went through he knew he couldn't. Draco was like him, so he walked over to Draco and put a hand  
  
on his shoulder. He squeezed, and Draco looked up. And then did something that shocked Harry.  
  
Draco hugged him and cried onto his shoulder. Harry now knew how Severus had felt the first  
  
time Harry had done this to him. So following his father's example he hugged Draco back.  
  
"What am I going to do. My Father is going to prison, my mother is gone. She fled awhile  
  
ago. She's not the maternal type, so she left me with my father. I have no family, I have  
  
nothing." He said, his voice filled with despair.  
  
"I felt the same way before I came to live with Severus, but now I have a father, a mother,  
  
and an adorable little sister. What I could use now, is a brother." Harry said, knowing that  
  
Severus and Tonks would approve of taking in Draco.  
  
"Do you really mean that? Do you think Severus would let me stay here?" He asked.  
  
"I'm sure he'd adopt you too, and Tonks" Harry said.  
  
"Tonks is my aunt." Draco said  
  
"I know, but I don't think that matters much." Said Harry. Severus walked in then. He  
  
nodded at Harry, and Harry knew that Severus had heard and approved. That night Severus put  
  
another bed in Harry's room. Both boys fell into a happy dreamless sleep.  
  
{1} The book is called make way for ducklings, it was my childhood favorite.  
  
{2} W.C. stands for water closet. That a british loo... er bathroom  
  
A/N: Sorry that I seem to be making so many parts to this one time period, but I no longer  
  
control the story, it controls me.  
  
Also the idea for who wrote the letter goes to Jan... She's awesome no? 


	13. Finally Whole Easter Holidays final par...

Disclaimer: I own Nothing... cept a broken leg... :)

A/N: I know it's been a while but a lot has been going on in my life. I decided after reading my whole story that I should continue, I can't leave it alone. Also since it's nine in the morning, don't expect the best spelling, grammer, or even plot... :)

Chapter Twelve: Finally Whole

Harry woke early the next morning. He laid in his bed for a few minutes, thinking about all that happened in the last few days. He remebered the anger, the pain, and most of all the love. Harry rolled over and looked over at Draco's side of the room. Draco was already awake, and was staring at something. Harry wandered over to Draco's bed, sat down and looked at what he was staring at. It was the book Aaliyah had given him for Christmas. Harry was amused to see that Draco's picture had been added to the very last page. Wondering if Aaliyah had snuck into their bedroom as he slept, he laughed aloud.

"What's funny?" Draco asked, Harry couldn't determine if his tone was concern or defense.

"The fact that Aaliyah can get in here, draw that picture, and get back out without us hearing her. It's funny because she's so loud when she does anything, that I imagine her trying to be quiet." Harry explained, immediately Draco's face took on a look of amusement.

"Well we'd better get up and see what she's up too." Draco said and stood up to make for the kitchen. Harry followed suit and they headed to breakfast together.

When they reached the kitchen they found Aaliyah sitting at the table, again trying to teach Scruffles to eat cereal out of a bowl. She looked up when Tidus put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her.

"Tidus, what ever happened to Notus?" She asked, staring down the elf.

"Notus?, mistress" The elf squeaked looking fully confused.

"He was our elf before you." She explained.

"Tidus wouldn't know mistress" And the elf left it at that. Harry and Draco sat down at the table, and were immediately served large plates of food.

"Wow, look at the fare, it's almost like being back at Hogwarts." Draco said eyeing the food.

"Well this is breakfast everyday, and Tidus kinda gets offended if you don't eat everything" Harry said, and dug in. The elf had an innate ability to determine just how much food each person in the family needed. Harry noticed that Draco's food, while there was more of it, was lighter foods. Toast and such, nothing fried. Harry looked down at his own plate, which was loaded with bacon and bangers. Harry then looked at Draco to see what his reaction was, and realized that Draco was happy about the fare. Harry reasoned that Draco's stomache might not be able to handle the things Harry was used to. Letting his mind wander, the thought that today he'd finally be a part of a family slammed into his mind. He was suddenly nervous, and he glanced across the table to see that Draco's face mirrored his own thoughts. Severus and Tonks walked in, and joined the children at the table. For a few minutes the atmosphere at the table was strained and nervous, then Aaliyah let out a great laugh and as soon as the family saw what she and Scruffles were up to, they laughed as well. Scruffles was covered in milk and cereal, and sitting in the bowl. After that the atmosphere was cleared, and the whole family began chatting about the day.

At quarter to 9 Severus stood up and made an announcement.

"Alright you lot, upstairs and get changed, we have to leave in about 15 minutes." Aaliyah was doing her little victory dance.

"Daddy, if we're going to play 'different family' what's Draco's name gonna be?" She asked looking at Severus with her clear blue eyes.

"Aaliyah, you know how I explained about bad people, and why we had to play 'different family', well the bad people are gone, and we don't have to play that game anymore, we're all going out the way we look, and call each other our real names." Severus said, then added "The vault has been changed over, you two remember, if there's anything you want, just sign a bank draft for the Snape family vault." Draco looked happier than Harry had ever seen him, and he knew it was because Draco finally felt like he was loved, and had a family.

Draco and Harry made their way up the stairs to their room. Harry begin changing immediately, but Draco just sat on his bed.

"Draco dad's gonna get mad if you're not ready, go on get dressed." Harry said while trying to navigate his trousers.

"Uh Harry... I don't have anything to get dressed in. All my clothes and things... are well gone I guess, I didn't really have time to pack." Draco looked fairly embaressed. Harry knew that feeling all too well, and threw him a pair of black trousers and a silver shirt, both gifts from Hermione. Draco caught the clothes, and after a few seconds put them on, they fit fairly well. Having finished dressing and grooming, the boys made their way downstairs again.

In the living room Severus and Tonks were trying to get Aaliyah's shoes on her feet, and she was having a grand time avoiding them.

"_Your_ daughter is giving us a run for our money." Severus said after Aaliyah managed to escape them again.

"How come she's my daughter when she doesn't cooperate?" Tonks said with mock anger, all the time laughing at Aaliyah's antics.

"Because that's something she gets from you." Severus replied, and was rewarded with a laughing kiss. Draco and Harry just smiled at each other as if to say _parents._ Harry went round the couch, and Draco came up on Aaliyah's blind side. At a silent count of three they launched themselves at her, fully intent on capturing her. Well that was the intent, Aaliyah sensing she was about to be captured , jumped out of the way about three seconds before Draco and Harry collided. They bounced off each other and landed on the floor. Aaliyah was laughing so hard she didn't hear or see Severus sneak up behind her. He snatched her up and held her squirming and laughing on the couch as Tonks finished applying her shoes to her feet. Harry and Draco were picking themselves up off the floor, and after a few good natured glares and muttered threats involving Aaliyah's collection of Disney movies, the family was ready to go.

Arriving at the Ministry of Magic, Severus and Tonks, along with Harry and Draco surrendered their wands for a security check. Having done that they made their way to the Department of Family and Marriatal Services. Once there, they waited patiently for a free casewitch. Severus set Aaliyah down, and she immediately set to playing with the toys in the corner.

"Now Mr. Snape, I understand that you and Miss Tonks will be married soon, so that is not an issue." The casewitch smiled at Aaliyah as she played. "And as I've been assured that you can provide a good home for three adolescent children, I am quite sure we can skip that part of the interview. What I do need to know, is the identies and parental heritage of the three children." The casewitch smiled encouragingly.

"Uh well I guess we'll start with Harry." Severus said.

"Alright, full name, date of birth, parents' names and mother's maiden name, and reason why the child was given up. I think you can remember that for all three, so I'll just let you talk." The casewitch said pleasently. There was no doubt in his mind, that if he wasn't involved, or if it was someone who hadn't helped him kill Voldemort, this would have been a very long process.

"Alright, Harry James Potter, Uh July 31, 1981, Parents James and Lilly Potter, mother's maiden name Lilly Evans, Harry is an orphan, and his muggle relatives don't deserve to have him, and gave him up." Severus said in one breath. " Draco Lucious Malfoy, December 6, 1981. Lucious and Narcissa Malfoy, mother's maiden name Narcissa Black." Harry grinned at Draco, and for no particular reason the casewitch smiled even more broadly than before. Severus continued. " Uhm about my daughter, she was o-r-p-h-a-n-e-d, Death Eaters k-i-l-l-e-d her parents, I was present, and had orders to k-i-l-l her too, instead I transfigured a stuffed bear and did the dead to the bear, I took her home with me." Severus said, looking highly nervous. The casewitch smiled at Aaliyah again.

"I think we'll treat this as a delayed birth announcement, reason due to war." The casewitch winked at Draco, who smiled despite himself."Alright on the birth announcement I'll need father's name, Mother's Name and Maiden name" she winked again and Harry got that Tonk's name would appear with a Snape after it on the birth announcement." Child's date of birth, any other siblings in the family, family residence, and place of birth." Severus had always celebrated Aaliyah's birthday as the day he took her home, he knew from the books he'd read, that she couldn't have been more than a month old when he found her. So he decided to hold to that.

" Father's name Severus Gideon Snape, mother's name Nymphodora Lei Snape, maiden name Nymphadora Lei Tonks, date of birth October 27, 1993, siblings Harry Potter-Snape and Draco Malfoy-Snape, place of birth Stratford on Avon." Severus said, noticing how Harry and Draco were reacting to the sur names he had given them, Harry and Draco were both looking ponderous, but when they both smiled he was relieved, he figured both boys would want to keep their surnames and take the Snape surname, and he figured right.

"Alright Mr. Snape, that's all in order, just sign here, Ma'am you too as well." Severus and Tonks signed the parchment."This will go in effect immediately, the official papers sent to you by owl no later than three days from now. I'd like to be the first to congratulate you on your new family." The casewitch smiled, shook every one's hands and hugged Aaliyah.

The new family left the Ministry of Magic feeling overjoyed at the day, and at everything in particular. They took the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron, where they dined before doing a little shopping. Draco and Harry got into some good natured squabbles over quiditch, Aaliyah dragged them all to the pet shop, where before he could say no, she was picking up a puffskein. Severus knew it would be pointless to say no, because she had that look on her face. Harry, in looking around the shop saw something he knew he must have. He knew he must have it because it asked him to take it home with him, it was too cold in the shop, and it decided it liked him. Tonks nearly passed out when Harry paid for the python, but Severus was more concerned for Aaliyah, when she petted the snake and said it's name was pooka, he knew that Harry had himself a new pet. Feeling like Draco was being left out, Severus gave him a prod, Draco picked out, much to Harry's surprise, another kitten. After the animals were paid for and properly crated, the family flooed home.

Laying in bed that night, Severus had only one thought before he fell asleep. _Finally whole._

: I gave Draco my birthday, cos I have a broken leg and I need to feel special


	14. The Wedding

Disclaimer: I know nuffink, I own about the same.

Chapter Thirteen: The Wedding.

The days passed fairly quickly in the Snape household. Most of the days were spent planning the upcoming wedding, in which Tonks insisted she didn't want to wear the traditional white wedding gown. Severus comprimised, as long as there was a fair amount of white on the dress he'd be happy. So Tonks took Aaliyah and herself to a dress maker in muggle London. While there she designed a beautiful gown, an A-line dress with squared off straps. The dress had a high empire waist, and the bodice was midnight blue and sparkled with topaz jewels. From the bodice down the gown faded from midnight blue to white. Aaliyah's dress was designed to match Tonks', only being four her dress had puffy mid bicept sleeves. The color scheme was the same, and the bodice boasted moon stones. Aaliyah had picked them out.

While Tonks' and Aaliyah were at the dressmaker, Severus, Harry and Draco were at Madam Malkins getting dress robes. All three felt self-conscious when they came out wearing the robes. With a few adjustments from the assistant's wand, they were done and off to meet Tonks and Aaliyah at the Leaky Cauldron. The family was enjoying a fine meal, that did not include pea-soup, when Tonks and Severus got into a good natured arguement over whom was to attend the wedding.

"Come on Severus it should be interesting." Tonks was saying.

"Nymphadora Tonks are you out of your mind, do you really want to invite _all_ the teaching staff of Hogwarts. I mean think about it, that includes a centaur and a flappy bat of a woman who will predict the marriage will be over as soon as it begins." Severus replied spearing some steak on his fork and shoving it roughly into his mouth.

"Don't forget mum, she'll predict my death anytime she sees me." Harry threw in, laughing at Severus' scowl.

"Or better yet she'll predict how many more kids your gonna have dad." Draco said laughing at the look on Severus' face as he choked on his food.

" Uh.. more. uhm... I didn't.. more kids?" Severus sputtered turning red, although it was hard to tell if he was blushing, or choking.

"Well why not Sev? Don't tell me you just wouln't love to have six more." Tonks said laughing.

"If we have six more, that's six you have to give birth to." Severus replied, smiling as Tonks face went white.

"Uh.. yeah.. and plus you know, we don't have room..." Severus' eyebrow quirked at this.

"Well, you do know that that house we've been living in, isn't our only home. You've never even seen Snape Manor. We've kinda been living in the weekend cottage." Severus ducked as Tonks threw her bread at him. He came back up laughing at the look on her face.

"A cottage, that's a cottage?" She was saying as Harry was laughing with Draco.

"Uh technically speaking yes, Snape Manor has 8 family bedrooms, 6 guest bedrooms, several bathrooms, three parlors, two dining rooms, a family room, kitchen, two labratorys, an attic and a sundry of other rooms that we never really found a use for. Wait until we get there and mother sees our three children." Severus said proudly.

"M-m-mother?" Draco and Harry said at the same time.

"Uh yes, my mother is still living, she's been tucked away in another country cottage since I turned spy for the Light, it was just safer for her. I told Voldemort that she had been killed in a horseback accident, lovely funeral and all." Severus replied, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"What do we call her? Mrs. Snape?" Draco asked, always wanting to show proper manners.

"Well, that depends, she may ask you to call her Laila,her given name, she may ask you to call her grandmother, she may even ask you to call her nanna." Severus said, then continued to focus on his steak. The rest of the family went back to their own meals, each thinking of the future.

The day of the wedding dawned bright and warm. Tonks was up early, she had slept in the bedroom by herself, due to the superstition about a man seeing his bride before the wedding. Harry had asked Severus about it before they had all went to bed the night before.

"Well Harry, I don't know how it is in the muggle world, but this superstion goes back to the days of the founding four. There was a witch then who was to marry a muggle man, and she loved him very deeply, and believed he loved her too, despite her magic. The day of their wedding he saw her as she was getting ready for the wedding, he saw her casting spells on herself, as witches do on their wedding day, it was nothing harmful, a hair charm, something like that. The muggle believed she was an evil enchantress who was casting spells on herself to make him love her. He called off the wedding, and because he made it known to the world that she was indeed a witch, she was taken that very day to the town square, still in her wedding finery. That very day she was burned at the stake. She placed a curse then, a curse on any man who dare to spy his bride before the wedding, that the marriage would end abruptly, often violently. To this day, any witch or wizard who's gotten married, and the groom has seen the bride before the wedding, the marriage has ended in death, or bloodshed. So wizards and witches take great precautions not to see each other on their wedding days. Tomorrow I will wake early, and gather you and Draco and take you to Snape Manor, where the wedding is taking place, we will dress and ready ourselves there." Severus said, hoping more than anything that he didn't see Tonks tomorrow before the wedding. He said good night to the boys, stopped in to tuck Aaliyah and Scruffles in. He then gave Tonks one last kiss and then went downstairs to bed.

Tonks listened carefully, if she heard anyone's voice or movements, other than Aaliyah's she was going to sit tight in her room. She heard Severus downstairs telling the boys to get ready. A few moments later she heard the fire roar, and one by one they each shouted Snape Manor. When she knew it was safe she went to Aaliyah's room and woke the child up.

"Come on sleepyhead we have to get ready." Tonks said pulling back the blankets. Aaliyah sat up and rubbed her eyes for a moment, suddenly she squealed and flung herself at Tonks.

"Tonks! Today you become my mommy forever." She fairly screamed.

"Yeah honey, now we have to get up and put on our pretty dresses." Tonks said helping her get out of her night gown. As Tonks was pulling Aaliyah's dress down over her head Aaliyah shocked the hell out of her.

" You know I dreamed about my mommy last night." Aaliyah said looking at Scruffles thoughtfully.

"Your mommy?" Severus had told Tonks that Aaliyah had only been a month old when her parents had died.

" Yeah, I dreamed about the night when strangers came to the door, I heard mommy scream alot, and daddy too. Then I heard someone come up the stairs. Then daddy Severus came and took me home with him. In my dream my mommy told me how sometimes mommies and daddies get taken away from their children, but that it's okay if the children's new mommy and daddy love them. She told me that she watches me all the time, and how proud she was of me." Aaliyah said, smiling sadly at Tonks.

"You saw all this in a dream and understood it all?" Tonks asked sitting down on the floor half dressed herself. Aaliyah and Scruffles sat in her lap.

"Yes, it's not so hard to understand..." Aaliyah's eyes slid out of focus, the voice that continued from her mouth scared Tonks, because it was the voice of a woman, a woman who had seen the deepest pits of hell, and the highest realms of heaven. " Bad things happen in wars, we can't control them. Sometimes the bad things, they happen for good reasons. Severus Snape is a part of a great plan, a great plan for Harry Potter. He may have rid the world of Voldemort, but there are many things in store for him. They both needed a ground, a center. Someday there will come a time for a great unification, one that will save the world, not the wizarding world, nor the muggle world. The entire world. " Aaliyah shook her head and her eyes became focused again. She wiped a tear from Tonks' cheek. "What's wrong mommy?" She asked, her sweat child's voice returning.

"Mommy is just really happy..." Tonks said. Then she stood Aaliyah up and finished dressing her. She then went and put on her own dress. Tonks' mother arrived shortly there after, and took over. She used quaint charms to make Aaliyah's and Tonks' hair pile into beautiful curls on their heads. When she was done she stepped back and studied her work. When she was done she smiled, and took Aaliyah's hand. Then she, Tonks, and Aaliyah went by portkey to Snape Manor.

Severus was a wreck. He was so nervous he couldn't stop pacing the room he and Tonks were to share that night. Harry and Draco sat on the bed sniggering at him. He turned around his eyes flashing, and ran his hands through his hair again. He turned again and continued pacing the floor. Albus Dumbledore walked into the room, and seeing Severus in his current state, smiled, his eyes twinkling more than usual.

"Severus calm yourself my boy. Everything's going to be fine." He said, as way of offering his former student comfort.

"Albus all these thoughts keep running through my mind. 'What if I'm a horrible husband, What if I can't take care of my family, What if'" Albus held up a hand to cut him off.

"I'm quite sure you'll be a good husband and father, after all you've already proved yourself as a good father, being a husband isn't much harder. But I will offer you this advice. Compromise, don't fight over small things, never go to bed angry, and never leave without saying goodbye." Albus' eyes looked sad as he said the last.

"Alright.. I can do this.. I can be a man, a good man.. a family man... what the hell ever happened to the hard as nails Potions Master?" He wondered aloud. Harry and Draco lost it then. The couldn't control themselves. They were laughing so hard that Draco fell off the bed. This made Harry laugh harder, and when Draco got his bearings straight again, he laughed again. Severus looked at the two, his mind taking in the picture. His sons were laughing so hard they were holding on to each other. His heart lept for joy as he saw Draco's hand on Harry's shoulder. _These are my sons, my children, they'll never be enemies again. _Like so many times in the past his mind flashed forward a year. Draco receiving his graduate's certificate from Hogwarts, Harry following right behind him. And when they stepped off the stage, they high fived each other and joined the other graduates. He saw Tonks, heavily pregnant, smiling, tears in her eyes. As he looked down at Aaliyah he could see his arm, again there was no Dark Mark. A loud noise snapped him from his reverie.

Harry and Draco were looking suspiciously innocent. Albus' blue eyes twinkling more than he had ever seen them.

"What did you two do?" He asked, his head begining to ache. He reminded himself that both of his boys had histories of being mischevious.

"Uhm nothing, I think mum's here." Harry said brightly, too brightly. Albus nodded and the four of them left the room together. Making sure Tonks wasn't anywhere to be seen they made their way to the north garden. The garden had been decked out like it had never been. Severus took his place at the altar, the boys went stood to his left, each smiling broadly. A few minutes later the wedding march began. Severus felt like his heart was in his throat. He and Tonks had decided there were to be no bridesmaids, just Aaliyah would walk down the aisle. She was something like a muggle flower girl, instead of pretty roses she would be tossing handfuls of protective herbs, herbs for peace and prosperity, and herbs for enduring love. Severus' eyes started to tear up as he saw his daughter, looking so beautiful and so solemn. Then Tonks appeared. Severus' breath caught in his throat. He had no idea Tonks was so beautiful. She was the embodiement of love and happiness. As she made her way up the aisle to him, Severus could see tears of joy on her face. Seeing her tears freed his own. Silent tears rolled down his face as she reached him. They joined hands and turned to face Albus.

Severus couldn't concentrate on the ceremony. His mind kept going back to the night he found Aaliyah, the first time Harry had called him dad, waking up with Tonks on the couch, his children at the breakfast table laughing together, and Harry and Draco on the bed holding on to each other, for the first time appearing childlike to him. His mind caught the sentence Albus had just said, it took him a moment to realize that he had just been asked to say his vows.

" Uhm..." He colored slightly, and he could hear Harry and Draco cracking up beside him. Shooting them a glance he smiled himself, his embaressment gone. " Nymphadora Tonks... I have never loved someone as much as I love you. There have been so many times in my life, when I have done something or said something that I thought was unforgivable. And then you came into my life, as a way to help me protect my youngest child. You were a mother to her long before you or I realized it. I've found the children of my soul, and they are here with me today, but our family wouldn't be complete if you weren't here. I vow to love you forever, and to protect you, and make you happy." He finished more tears flowing. He took a wedding ring from Harry and slipped it onto her finger, saying " Let this ring stand as a symbol of my love for you. As long as this ring circles your finger may our bond never be broken." Tonks dried her eyes and prepared to say her vows.

"Severus Snape... I didn't honestly know what I was going to say until just now. You have taken me into your life, and the lives of your children. Nothing means more to me, not even my own life. I vow that I will love you forever, and to make you happy, and to protect our children." Taking a ring from Draco she slipped it onto his finger saying " Let this ring stand as a symbol of my love for you. As long as this ring circles your finger may our bond never be broken." She smiled at him and then at Albus who said.

"Severus and Tonks have decided to include their children in this ceremony. To show that they are now a complete family." Taking three rings from the depth of his robes he handed them to Severus. Who turned to Draco.

"Draco, your mother and I wish that you have this ring, and that you wear it always, as a symbol of our love for you." He put the ring on Draco's right ring finger, then hugged Draco, who came away from the hug with tears of his own on his face. Severus then turned to Harry. " Harry, your mother and I wish that you have this ring, and that you wear it always, as a symbol of our love for you." He slipped the ring on Harry's right finger and hugged him as well. Harry stepped back and smiled. Severus then turned to Aaliyah. " Aaliyah, my sweet daughter, your mother and I wish that you have this ring, and that you wear it always, as a symbol of our love for you." He put the ring on Aaliyah's small right ring finger. He hugged her as well, and when she pulled back she took Harry's hand, and Harry took Draco's hand, who took Severus' hand, who took Tonks' hand. Albus raised his hands into the air, and then brought them down to rest on Severus' shoulders saying.

"The love of a family, is the strongest there is. Please rise and greet the Snape family for the first time." The gathered crowd, which included every teacher at Hogwarts, the Weasleys, the Tonks', Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and his grandmother, Remus Lupin, and Arabella Figg, rushed forward to greet the family. Harry felt a pang in his heart as he wished Sirius could have been there with him that day. The ensuing reception was very wild, and didn't die down til three in the morning.

After Severus carried Aaliyah to her room and tucked her in, he checked in on Draco and Harry, who were having Ron and Neville stay over with them, telling them to settle down or he'd make them scrub cauldrons. He laughed as he heard Ron and Harry assuring Neville that it was a joke. Then he moved to his own bedroom. As he closed the door he reflected on the day and his life in general. He heard a whisper of voices, all of them telling him thanks for taking in their child, he couldn't be sure but he thought he heard the voices of Lilly and James, Sirius, and the witch and wizard whos deaths he had witnessed nearly five years ago. Turning out the lights he joined his wife in their bed. That night he made love to her like neither of them would live to see the new day dawn.

: If you watch the third HP movie the shrunken head makes a joke about eating the pea soup at the Leaky Cauldron before it ate you

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, it feels great to be back.

Next Chapter:Summer Holidays and a birthday


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